Roses and Thorns
by The Silentier
Summary: Rosalie, daughter of Aurora and Philip, ventures into the woods, only to find a young boy named Axel, who has green skin. While most people fear him, thinking he's a Maleficent reincarnate, Rosalie falls in love with him. But, all roses have thorns, like all romances have hardships... [Hope this summary doesn't suck]
1. Chapter 1

The kingdom was overjoyed to hear that Queen Aurora had given birth to a beautiful baby girl. She had soft hair, the color of her father's. She also had her mother's eyes, a pale purple-blue. Aurora and Philip had decided to name her Rosalie, though it was mostly Aurora's idea.

The 3 goods fairies, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather, gave her similar gifts at her christening. In fact, they were almost exactly the same. However, they didn't need to give her any type of protection spell. Maleficent was dead, and there was no one who would want to harm the child.

As the guests mingled and chattered, a hooded male and female slipped out of the room. The woman held a small bundle in her arms while the male held some food. They had planned to ask the Good Fairies for assistance with their... situation, but once they saw the princess, they knew the Good Fairies would be preoccupied with her.

The couple went out into the deep part of the forest, glancing behind themselves every so often. "Oh, I hope it's still there." the woman whispered. Her husband squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"It'll be there, dear. Don't worry."

Once they made their way through the thicket of trees and low-hanging branches, they both gasped in relief at the sight of the abandoned cottage. They had stumbled upon it once when they were first married, and had decided to use it for their current situation.

The woman unwrapped the bundle in her arms to reveal a small baby boy. He had raven black hair and forest green eyes. His skin... was also green. The couple had been alarmed by this when their son was first born. There was no explaination for his skin color and there was no cure. But, then again, there really was nothing to cure. He was born that way.

The man opened the door and allowed his wife to enter. He closed and locked the door behind him. "What are we going to do?" he heard his wife ask.

The woman sat down at the small table in the living area and looked down at her son ruefully. What would become of him when he grew up?

"We raise him," The man said after some time. "Until he's old enough to fend for himself. Then, we leave."

The woman gasped. "How could we just abandon our only child here?!"

"We have no choice! What do you think will happen to us if he's found? They'll burn him _and _us! We have to do this, to insure that we all live." The man sighed as he listened to his wife's sobs after his speech. This was the only way to make sure their son lived.

* * *

><p>So, how do you enjoy this so far? I hope that it makes sense and that it's not too cliche [I try not to be cliche with most of my stuff (Says the person with 1 fanfic story)]<p>

Reviews are very appreciated! :3


	2. Chapter 2

"Mother! Mother!" Rosalie ran down the halls of the castle, in search of her mother. She ran past a window and stopped short. She ran back to the window to see what she'd glanced at earlier. She'd always wondered why she liked the forest so much. Maybe it was the animals in it, or the serene quiet and relaxing atmosphere. Or, maybe the color. Green was her favorite color after all.

Rosalie grabbing a cloak from a nearby pile of clothes the servants were finished cleaning. she quickly draped it over herself and quietly opened a side door of the castle. It lead right outside, away from the town full of people.

Rosalie felt slightly guilty about leaving home without her mother and father with her, they didn't even know she'd left. She didn't plan on staying in the forest long. _I'll play with a few animals, then go back home. _She concluded to herself as she made her way to the forest.

Meanwhile, in the abandoned cottage, a little boy, no older than 7 or 8, was busy looking through the cabinets and drawers for something to eat. "Out of food..." he muttered to himself. He grabbed a small basket near the door and left to get some apples and berries.

As the young boy walked, his thoughts wandered to his parents. He knew who they were, he'd always remember them. What he didn't know is why they felt the need to leave him the way they did. They had left him not even a whole year ago, but just about.

His father had tucked him in, told him 'good night', and gently closed the door to his bedroom. Then, before he could even close his eyes to prepare for sleep, he heard hushed voices and the closing of a door.

The boy had crept out of his room to see his parents preparing to leave. As they closed the door to the cottage, he had run to reopen it and asked them why they had left. But, his body wouldn't move. He just sat down at the top of the step and hugged himself, hoping they'd be back in the morning.

The boy shook the memories out of his head. He focused on picking berries and tried not to think of his parents. while he was gathering food, he heard someone humming and laughing. He glanced around until his eyes fell on a girl, about his age, petting a rabbit.

She was pretty, there was no denying that. But, what set the boy off was her clothes. They looked much fancier than his tattered shirt and trousers. He quietly snuck closer to get a better look at her.

Rosalie gently ran her fingers over her new friend's head, blissfully unaware that she was being watched. She quickly took off her cloak and draped it over a low-hanging branch as she stood up to have a look around.

"Ah, it's so nice out here, isn't it?" she said out loud to no one. The boy watching her didn't know whether he should respond or keep quiet. He stepped out into the light and, almost inaudibly, cleared his throat. Rosalie turned around, her soft brown hair spinning behind her.

"Oh! I thought I was alone... Who are you?" she asked him kindly. When he didn't respond, she took a small step closer to him. "I'm sorry if I scared you." he said quietly.

"Oh, that's okay! I'm Rosalie. What's your name?" Rosalie said, leaving out the fact she was a princess. She didn't want the boy to feel obligated to bow to her.

"Axel." He said, looking at the ground. Rosalie smiled warmly at him, causing him to feel heat rush to his face. Axel looked back up to see that Rosalie was gone. He started to think that she was some illusion or dream.

"Axel! Over here!" He heard her call from a small distance behind him. He turned around to see her walking toward a berry bush. He ran over to her and stood slightly away from her.

Rosalie saw this and motioned for him to stand next to her. He slowly made his way over to her, unsure of why she wanted him closer to her. "Look." she pointed to a lake that reflected the evening sun perfectly, making it look as if it sparkled.

Axel had never seen the lake like this before. Granted, he had been to it a few times in his life for water or to clean his clothes, but he'd never been out at this time of day. His green eyes widen a bit as he took in the sight. "Wow..." he sighed.

Rosalie smiled. Then, a thought crossed her mind. "Where are your parents, Axel?" She asked, looking over at him. Axel kept his eyes on the lake as he spoke.

"They left. I don't know where they are." He made sure to keep his voice even and not show how much sadness was behind his words.

Rosalie gently touched his shoulder. "I'm sure they'll be back soon." Then, she glanced down at his exposed upper arm. His skin was a light forest green. She touched it lightly, causing Axel to jump slightly at the touch. "Why is your skin green?" she asked curiously.

Axel looked back at the lake, not wanting to see the possible fear on her face. Nobody liked his green skin. His mother had flinched away from him many times. His father had a sad look in his eyes whenever he'd look at him. "Does it bother you?" he asked quietly.

"No! I love the color green! It's my favorite." she said, her bright smile returning to her face. Even if Axel knew nothing about it at his age, he knew he'd fallen in love just then. He smiled slightly, and shrugged. "I don't know. I was just born this way, I guess."

Rosalie looked up at the sky and saw that it was getting dark. "I need to get home. I'll see you tomorrow, Axel." she said. she grabbed her cloak and waved good-bye to Axel. He waved back, slowly.

As he watched Rosalie leave, Axel started to wonder if he'd really see her tomorrow. He hoped he would.


	3. Chapter 3

When Rosalie returned home, she was welcomed with a large group hug from her three Fairy Aunts, her mother, and her father. "Oh, where have you been?!" Flora asked.

"We've been worried sick about you, dear." Fauna said, stroking Rosalie's hair.

"Why did you run off like that?" Merryweather asked.

Rosalie looked at her mother and father's faces, hoping they weren't upset with her. "I... went outside. I didn't mean to stay out so late. I'm sorry."

Aurora glanced at her daughter's cloak and dress and saw dirt smudges and tiny tears. She smiled inwardly, remembering how her dresses would get torn whenever she played in the forest...

"Oh, Rose," Aurora started, giving her daughter her old nickname, "we aren't upset with you. Just, let us know that you're going outside next time, okay?" Rosalie nodded and hugged her mother.

"Come along, now. It's time for bed." Philip said, gently taking his daughter's hand. As her mother and father tucked her in, Rosalie thought about Axel. Did his parents tuck him in for bed yet? Had they returned home by now?

"Good night, Rosalie. Sweet dreams." Aurora said. She kissed Rosalie's forehead and followed her husband out of her room. She turned the light off and gently closed the door.

Rosalie hopped out of bed and ran over to the window. she couldn't see the forest from her bedroom window, but she saw a trail that led to it. "Good night, Axel." she whispered before she went back to her bed.

Axel had spent the rest of the evening cleaning his house. He'd never really cared where everything was, just as long as he could find it when he needed it. But, he was expecting company tomorrow.

Once he has settled in for bed, he sighed heavily. After spending some time with Rosalie, Axel felt even more lonesome then he already was. He looked out the window and whispered, "Good night, Rosalie." Then, he drifted off to sleep, his dreams plagued with the girl who loved green.

The next morning, Rosalie ran over to her closet to pick out her dress for the day. She chose a forest green dress that Fauna had made for her. It had sleeves that ended just over her elbows, the skirt ending just below the middle of her calf, and a dark green corset. [P.S. Think Briar Rose's dress, but green]

She slipped on a pair of black flat shoes and opened her bedroom door. She ran out to the dining area and saw her parents and aunts sitting there, waiting on their breakfast. "Good morning, everybody!" she said cheerfully.

Flora smiled. "Oh! Good morning, Rosalie." As Rosalie sat down, she thought about what fun things she could do with Axel today. She would head out to the forest after breakfast, when everyone was busy.

"Did you sleep well, dearie?" Merryweather asked. Rosalie smiled and nodded. She had dreamt about Axel's green skin and where it might have come from. Many possibilities came to mind, such as his mother eating only green apples when she was pregnant with him.

"Oh, Rose, you haven't brush your hair." Aurora said, looking at her daughter's bed-hair. "Here, let me fix this." She quickly went to her room, grabbed a brush, and gently ran it over Rosalie's hair.

Aurora had made sure to be very close to her daughter. She hadn't known her mother for 16 years. even if it was for her own safety, Aurora still felt like she had been robbed of her life. And, in a way, she was. Because of Maleficent's curse, she had to be raised by the 3 Good Fairies in the forest and away from her parents.

Aurora didn't hold any resentment against Maleficent. She had even felt like crying when she heard that Maleficent had been killed. But, that didn't mean she'd forgiven her for cursing her to death as a baby. She had asked her parents and the Good Fairies why, but all they said was that it was because she was bitter and cruel.

Rosalie glanced up at her mother to see that she had a slightly sour expression on her face. "Mother, what's the matter?"

Rosalie's soft voice broke Aurora away from her thoughts. "Nothing, Rose. There. All done." she smiled, smoothing out Rosalie's hair.

After breakfast, Rosalie left a note by her parents' door, telling them that she'd gone outside. She'd left a note for her aunts, as well. She hummed softly as she grabbed her cloak and left for the forest.

Axel sat in the spot where he'd met Rosalie yesterday, hoping that she'd be there soon. He had been at this spot since early dawn and was growing very bored. He heard a slight rustling and looked up to see Rosalie stepping into the clearing.

"Hi, Axel. I was hoping you'd be here." she smiled at him. Then, she glanced around before turning back toward him. "What would you like to do?"

Suddenly, all the things Axel had prepared to say were wiped from his memory. He couldn't remember what he'd planned to say, he couldn't even improvise. Not wanting to keep Rosalie waiting, he shrugged.

"Well, we could go for a walk?" Rosalie suggested. Axel shook his head slightly. That's not what he wanted to do.

"We could go to my house?" Another shake.

"We could you to your house?" That was it. Axel nodded eagerly. Rosalie smiled. "Okay. Where is it?"

Axel had a feeling he wasn't going to be able to speak for a while. All he could do was gently grab her hand and lead her there. To his surprise, she didn't pull away from him or object to him holding her hand. Maybe she understood that he was kind of tongue-tied at the moment.

Once they reached the cottage, Axel built up the courage to speak again. "Here it is." he said in a soft voice.

Rosalie sighed happily as she looked at the cottage. "It's so nice." she said as Axel opened the door for her. He'd seen his father do this for his mother, and thought that was what one did for others.

"Thank you." Rosalie said as she entered the tiny house. Axel closed the door behind him and looked at Rosalie. He hoped he hadn't forgotten to clean anything in the house. Rosalie sat down at the small table in the middle of the room and motioned for Axel to join her.

He pulled up a chair and sat down next to her. "I like your house. It's pretty." she said genuinely. Axel felt his face getting warm again and whispered a rushed "Thank you."

Rosalie couldn't help but giggle a bit at how Axel was acting. She thought it was cute. Then, she noticed the silence in the cottage. "Have your parents come back yet?" she asked.

Axel sighed sadly. "No. I don't think they ever are coming back. They left almost a year ago."

Rosalie gasped softly before she hugged Axel. "I'm sorry." she pulled away and looked him in the eyes. "You can come to the castle with me! I can't leave you here all alone."

Axel didn't know what to say. He wondered whether or not he should go. His parents had made a big deal out of him leaving the cottage... when they were still around. Since they left him, their rules didn't matter anymore. "O-okay. I'll go." he said.

Rosalie squealed happily and hugged him again. Then, she stood up and held out her hand for his. "C'mon, let's go."

Back at the castle, Aurora chuckled slightly at the note her daughter left her and her husband. it wasn't exactly what she'd meant by letting someone know, but at least it was something.

"Aurora, where's Rosalie?" Philip asked, seeing his wife as he turned a corner. Aurora smiled. "She's gone outside again, Philip."

"Oh, good." he sighed, relieved. Then, they heard a door open. "That must be her." he murmured as he ran to greet his daughter.

Aurora followed him, and gasped when she saw her daughter holding hands with a boy that looked like a 7-year-old, male Maleficent. Philip couldn't control the angry look that swept over his face as memories of Maleficent came flooding back.

"Rosalie... who is this?" Aurora asked, trying to keep her voice even and calm.

Rosalie, not sensing her parents distress, smiled. "This is my friend, Axel. He was in the forest, all by himself. I couldn't just leave him there."

Axel didn't say anything as he saw the angry look on Philip's face. He got somewhat scared, and worried that leaving his cottage was a mistake.

Aurora pulled her daughter away from Axel and close to her. Philip stepped cautiously in front of his family. "Who are your parents, young man?" he asked.

Axel looked down at his feet. "I don't know what their names are. I don't even know where they are."

"Your mother, did she have... skin like yours?" Philip asked him quickly. When Axel shook his head, Philip relaxed, somewhat.

Rosalie looked at her mother and saw the worry on her face. "Mother, what's wrong? Axel's not sick, he just has green skin." She gently pulled away from her mother and went back over to Axel. "I talked with him yesterday and today. See, I'm fine. He's okay, really he is."

Just then, the 3 Good Fairies flew over to them and gasped when they saw Axel. "Wh-what in the world..." Flora gasped. Fauna just shook her head slightly.

Merryweather, however, flew right over to Rosalie and Axel. "Rosalie, what are you doing? Come away from him, he could be Maleficent in disguise."

Rosalie glanced up at her aunt. "Who's Maleficent, Aunt Merryweather?"

"Never you mind, dear." Flora said, sending a slight glare at Merryweather for mentioning her. "Just come over here."

Rosalie stood defiantly where she was. "Why? Why do you all want me to be away from him? He couldn't help being born with green skin! Should he be punished to being lonely for something he had no control over?!" Rosalie had never raised hr voice before. She's never even shown any signs of anger toward her parents and aunts... until now.

Aurora sighed, shaking her head. "Rose, we're just thinking of your safety."

"Axel wouldn't hurt me, or anybody!" Rosalie held Axel's hand as she spoke. Axel wasn't sure whether he should pull his hand away or not. He didn't want Rosalie's family upset with him, but he didn't want to hurt Rosalie's feelings by not holding her hand.

Rosalie's expression visibly softened. "Please... please, let him stay."

Philip looked at his wife, who lightly shrugged. "He doesn't seem a threat, Philip." she told him. Philip sighed. "Alright... he can stay."

Rosalie ran up and hugged her parents. "Thank you so much. And, I'm sorry I lost my temper." she quickly apologized. Her mother and father hugged her tightly.

Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather looked over Axel, making sure he didn't have any magic linking him to Maleficent. even if she was dead, that didn't mean she was gone.


End file.
